Chapter 60 YOUR AGE.
\~~~DAMIEN.
“Well, too bad we're stuck together forever,’'
I said, my voice calm, as if I were discussing the weather.
But hell, I was raging. I'd overheard her call with Maya, every word slicing through me. The way Serena beat herself up, calling it all a mistake, hating what we'd just begun. Our honeymoon, the passion on the deck under the stars was gone, tainted by the past. She was already pulling away, and it killed me.
My team was on it, though.
Ethan had texted earlier that there was solid proof pointing to Ryan.
Even Melissa, our go-to hacker with skills that could crack fortresses, came up empty.
Ryan had an alibi and it was some boring dinner with friends, backed up with timestamped photos and all. So, someone else leaked it. Someone who knew about Serena and Ryan's past, who dug into the dirt and flung it wide.
I trusted Ethan and Melissa to bury this before dawn, just like I'd ordered. They were a total package. Ethan's sharp instincts paired with Melissa's tech wizardry. We'd built this unit over the years, and I'd never regretted keeping them close. They got results, no questions asked.
“Right?” Serena said, her voice small, testing the waters.
“We'd head back to the villa now. Our flight back home is at noon,’' I replied, keeping it practical. She nodded, her dark hair falling over one shoulder. The red dress still clung to her curves from earlier, a reminder of how we'd lost ourselves in each other just hours ago.
Now, it felt like armor she wore to hide.
I turned to exit the cabin, needing air, and needing to punch something. But her voice stopped me cold.
“I am sorry.”
I paused, my hand on the door. “Why?’' I turned to look at her, leaning against the frame.
She didn't say anything at first, she just stared at the floor, twisting her fingers in her lap. Her silence screamed louder than words.
“Because you think you might have ruined my reputation?’' I guessed, stepping back inside. It was obvious that's what gnawed at her. The comments, and the judgments had all aimed at dragging me down with her.
“I am sorry,” she whispered again, her voice shaky as though she might break.
I couldn't stand the distance anymore. I closed the space between us in two strides, leaning down until my hands braced on the bed beside her hips. Our faces were only inches apart, her breath warm on my skin. I could see the flecks of gold in her eyes, and the way her lashes fluttered.
“Tell me,’' I said softly, holding her gaze.
“What?” She blinked, confused.
“Do you think my reputation will crumble apart because of you? Is that why you're regretting this?”
“Everyone is going to mock you because of me,” she said, and fresh tears spilled over, tracing paths down her cheeks.
Oh, what a girl. So fierce one moment, crumbling the next over whispers from strangers. I wanted to pull her into my arms, shield her from it all. “Baby, I have built my reputation and name for twenty-five years of my life. You think something as flimsy as this would ruin it?”
“T... twenty-five years?” She raised a brow, surprised, cutting through the sadness.
“Of course, moonlight. I took over the family business at twenty. What were you thinking?”
“God, you're so old,” she said, pressing her lips together like she was fighting a smile.
There it was, a spark of her fire.
“Old? I am just trying to motivate you.”
“You're talking like an old man. What is motivation by telling me you've been in business for twenty-five years? It is giving "when I was your age" kinda speech.”
“You're so hopeless,” I shook my head, standing up straight. I watched as she burst into laughter, the sound light and real, chasing away some of the shadows in the room.
“I was feeling you though. Can you continue?” she asked, still laughing, wiping at her eyes.
“As if I would,” I rolled my eyes, stepping toward the door again while hiding my own smile. Her laugh was infectious, easing the knot in my chest. My heart felt a bit lighter knowing she was pulling out of the pit, even if just for a moment.
But as I stepped out onto the deck, the cool night air hit me, and the questions rushed back.
Who the hell was behind this? Ryan seemed clean, but grudges ran deep in families.
Could it be that woman?
Or was it someone else? A jealous ex of Ryan's, maybe, or a rival sniffing around my business. The article had that photo, blurred but pointed, timed to hit right when we were blissed out on this yacht. Someone knew our moves, and probably our secrets.